Current diaper designs maximize urine absorption but do not function to keep stool from soiling a user's genitalia. In certain situations, when a male infant's stool is introduced and comes into contact with his genitalia, the effects can be quite harmful. By way of example, male infants undergoing pediatric circumcision, hypospadias surgery, and other similar forms of penile surgery are at a high risk for dressing and wound contamination from stool soiling in the diaper. In such penile surgical situations, surgical dressings are placed on the penis to control and prevent post-operative bleeding and to minimize the risk of infection. The dressing should be kept dry for two to five days to allow healing of the surgical site. If the dressing becomes stool soiled, early rinsing of the dressing or removal of the dressing is necessary to prevent infection from entrapped stool. Aside from the problem of early rinsing or removal of penile surgical dressing, the inability to keep the post-operative genital site clean can result in very harmful consequences such as infection, inflammation, or additional scarring. In turn, these consequences may require additional surgeries.
In addition to complications arising in post-operative situations, it is also harmful for stool and waste material to remain in contact with the male genitalia for a prolonged period of time. For example, male infants are at risk for infection of the foreskin or urinary tract in non-surgical situations, and even adult males are at risk for infections of the foreskin or urinary tract when they utilize a diaper-like product when faced with bowel and bladder incontinence. Stool contact with the male genitalia is a very common problem because there are no barriers preventing the stool migration to the genital region when a conventional absorbent diaper is used. When the stool migrates to the male genitalia region, caregivers find it difficult and time consuming to effectively clean the soiled areas. Like post-operative situations, if the stool remains in contact with the male genitalia, potential harmful consequences may result, such as urinary tract infections, or inflammation of the male genitalia.
Currently there are no commercial diaper products available that address these problems. To overcome these problems, an improved protective diapering system is desirable.